An early election will kill the European Constitution

How painful to watch LibDem Europhiles demanding an early election – but not so early as to let in the Conservatives before the Irish referendum on the European Constitution Lisbon Treaty. They know that the Tories are committed to moving a Bill for a British plebiscite on their first day in office. They know that the British people would vote "No" in such a referendum. They fear that such a rejection might trigger a wider renegotiation of Britain's membership terms. So, yes, they want an election, but not before November, thanks.

Obviously, though, they don't own up to their reasons in public. Instead, they prate about needing to push through parliamentary reforms first. "We can't have an election now: it would be all about expenses," says Shirley Williams, who forced Nick Clegg to go back on his manifesto commitment to a referendum. Yes, it would. That would be the rather the point. The House of Commons has been through the hubris and the nemesis, but the catharsis has been artificially stayed.

We need a new parliament with the moral authority to begin an overhaul. But, in order to keep their wretched little treaty alive, the LibDems will seek to defer the poll. Further proof of one of this blog's favourite themes: that the EU, as well as being undemocratic in itself, vitiates democracy within its participating states.